Secret Notes
by Cupid's Bride
Summary: Freddy receives a note every now and then that makes him smile. That is, until senior year…


Disclaimer: I don't own SoR. But I love everybody all the same anyway even if they don't review. I know, I'm weird.

AN: I am sorry!!! I know, I should be UPDATING and not writing new stories. But I just thought of an idea that wouldn't go away. And there's this thing that's bugging me so I can't write my fics:( Plus, I owe someone this story, in honor of her amazing fic.)

Dedication: I know I should be updating Inspire Me, Chenyl-chan… but you know that thing about the piggyback ride that's irritating me and nagging me!!!! It's very uninspiring! On the other hand, I just wrote this Hannah Montana fic that gave me this idea AND you updated. :-D I hope you likey-likey!!!!!

Summary: Freddy receives a note every now and then that makes him smile. That is, until senior year…

* * *

**The Secret Notes**

**Chapter One: The Muse**

* * *

It all started in eighth grade, when _School of Rock_ was getting really big.

Recap: Their fourth grade stint in _Battle of the Bands_ was their entrance to local stardom… that eventually evolved to national stardom as they got more publicity. But then someone wrote a book about their fame when they were in the sixth grade, an anonymous author, mind you! And then before they knew it, a screenwriter from Hollywood turned it into a screenplay and their story turned global.

So, yes; when the original _School of Rock_ members reached eighth grade, they became **global** superstars. They toured Asia during the summer before eighth grade, staying in the Philippines, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia for a week in each country!

On the very first day of eighth grade, the Secret Notes started appearing in Freddy Jones's locker. At first, he didn't think it was special. It was one of the many he received that day. But when he read it before sleeping, he immediately liked it. Where every other letter had the same content, like "Freddy, I like you, will you go out with me?" It was nothing of the sort.

The writing was in neat and small script that he had never seen before. The other letters he received had big, obnoxious handwriting. But this, it was like she studied calligraphy. It was an art. And as a performer, he liked art whether it's music, or written or painted.

The letter had simply said:

_September 4,_

_I've known you forever,_

_But I can't remember_

_When I started to feel this way_

_About your laugh, about your smile_

_Even if I see them all the time._

_All I know is lately they've grown_

_A little bit forced, a little bit shallow._

_Where's that smile I've grown to like?_

_Where's the laugh I've been waiting for?_

_But there's that beat you created,_

_That rhythm you made with that pencil._

_A thoughtful frown that formed on your head._

_It was cute, I'll admit,_

_But it should be that smile instead._

_Dear Freddy,_

_I know school isn't the place you want to be right now, but trust me – this year will be over before you know it. Keep drumming! I know that cadence will be spectacular._

_Love,_

_Calliope_

_P.S. That's not my real name. I am too scared to let you know who I am; even though you know me._

Every day for the next four years, he received a note from Calliope. His real smile was on his face after reading every note; although these notes had been kept a secret from the band (except for Zack). From reading her notes, he actually found out that they have a common ground – music. And so, every cadence he had thought of to play during his solos at performances, he had dedicated to her. Just as every poetry she wrote in his notes were for him.

It was just too bad that he couldn't reply. But in every show, or in every interview; he would say that he dedicated those few seconds of solos from him to Calliope, his muse.

Everybody just assumed that he was being smart and was paying patronage to the chief of muses in Greek Mythology.

But what only his best friend, Zack, knew: for four years, he had tried finding who Calliope was but he couldn't. He dated (a lot of) different girls just to see if they were her. He dated almost everybody from the band, except for Katie (who was off limits and dated a couple of guys outside the band throughout the course of years), Summer (whom he immediately ruled out because of the handwriting which he sees everyday to remind him about practice, or his mom's birthday and Secret Santa), Martha (who was his cousin), Tomika (who liked and got together with Frankie in sophomore year), and Alicia (who got together with Lawrence in junior year).

So basically, he dated the groupies; well… he hung out with them, not really kissed them or anything like that. He took Michelle to see a movie and he took Eleni bowling. When he took someone out, he had brought that girl with Zack and his date, and Katie and _her_ date. It was always a group date.

Except for one. He took this one girl from his math class out for a little over a month in junior year. She helped him with math; factoring polynomials. She kept opening her mouth as if to say something, when he assumed that she was about to say she was Calliope.

Of course, at the time; he wasn't really looking at her handwriting or anything. He just thought… well he didn't really know what he was thinking.

Calliope didn't stop writing to him, but he never read any of her letters because he thought he had the real thing. Until that girl from math class gave him an ultimatum.

It was weird. She gave him an ultimatum about Summer, who kept tabs on him because she was, after all, the _band manager_.

"Either you tell her to get lost, or you and I are through." She had said, leaving him in a half-undressed state. Well, he could understand her frustration; they were making out after all and the call _was_ a buzz kill. He took it out on Summer, who was strangely cold about the situation. Maybe he shouldn't have told her that she might have cost him the girl who inspired his drumming.

"Look, Jones. I am just doing my job. Either you play hookie when we practice, and you screw up during a live show; or you get your ass over here and _you_ **do** _your_ job. And here's an advice for you – don't be mad at me for _your_ mistake. And don't assume – it's makes an ass out of you and me. Because it drives you to _ignorance_ and it drives me to being mad at you for _not even knowing_ what you are being ignorant about."

She hung up on him and he was about to call her back and demand an explanation when he saw a pile of notes on his desk. Unopened ones. Ones that he hadn't been reading since going out from She-Who-Is-Not-Going-To-Be-Named. He decided to sort them. Thirty-one letters from Calliope. Thirty-one Secret Notes.

He buried his face in his hands and almost had a fit of destruction. He opened a random one, and he saw that it was her latest one. (Meaning, that day!)

_March 11, _

_Dear Freddy,_

_Where's that boy_

_Is he still there?_

_Is he still inside, where the music dwells?_

_Where's that boy?_

_The one who caught my eye,_

_The one currently invading my mind_

_Is he still there inside…_

_Or is he forever gone?_

_One day I will stop writing you. It seems you've stopped reading, anyway. Your drum solos have less passion nowadays. It's as if you don't listen to yourself or anyone around you anymore. One day… but that isn't today. I know that he's still in there. Assuming that I am not just wishing on a falling star._

_Love,_

_Calliope_

He pulled his head out of his butt then. He apologized to Summer, who was still strangely cold about the situation. He broke up with the girl from math. He begged Summer to tutor him there instead… which she agreed to after MUCH persuasion.

But it was worth it. He got a A's and even developed a liking for two things. One, math. Strangely enough, he found the class a fun challenge. And another thing. Or should I say, person.

It hit him like a freight train after he finished his math finals for junior year. All throughout the exam, he thought about what Summer would say when he forgot how to do some thing. How she would make a face when he got some thing horribly wrong on purpose. How she would laugh and smile when he got the problem right.

And although the Secret Notes kept on coming and he still read them, he realized it wasn't Calliope who gave him that much inspiration any more. It was Summer. And he found out that he liked her.

And to think, it only took his math final to realize that!

"Yo, Freddy!" Zack called out as he walked out of math. They shook hands. "Finally! We're out of this hellhole! Well, at least for three months."

"Yeah, man! Where are we touring this summer anyway? We've hit Asia twice, and the U.S., too. We took a summer break between tenth and eleventh grade 'cause a couple of us got held back for summer school."

A new voice entered the conversation. "Europe."

Immediately, Freddy's heart started slamming against his ribs. _Whoa, slow down there tiger. It's just Summer!_ "Hey, Tink."

"Back at ya, Spaz. Anyway, Zack - don't forget tonight!"

"Okay, okay; I won't! Sheesh. You've reminded me like only ten times this morning!"

Summer smacked him on the arm with a glare. "Just remember, this is**your fault**."

"Alright, alright."

With that, Summer walked away. Freddy was uncharacteristically silent during the exchange; but he got his voice back after she got far away enough without overhearing him talk. "What was that about?"

Zack waved him off. "Oh, it's just about a bet… I uhmm, witnessed Katie make a bet with her. And she's gotta pay the price for losing."

An elegant blond brow rose. He can't pry into the details about the bet; in the band, all members made bets all the time. But they can't gossip about it. It's a sacred rule. However, he can ask about the consequences. "What's the price for losing?"

"She's gotta go out with this guy." The brunet seemed a little uneasy.

"What guy, Mooneyham?"

Zack seemed a little taken aback by the macho display, but he let it go and answered. "Gary Shur."

Freddy sighed in relief. Summer didn't like Gary. Although he made it clear he's out to win her over. "That twerp? I'm surprised he's finally going to be able to take her out on a date."

He started to go in the direction of his locker which he always checked for Calliope's letters before he had to go home. It was too bad he didn't see Zack shake his head at the way he acted before walking with him.

"Checking for your muse's note?"

Freddy smiled. "Yeah."

"Okay, I'll catch you later then. Gotta go take Katie to the mall." He stopped walking at an intersection of hallways causing his friend to stop as well.

"When are you guys ever gonna stop beating around the bush? It's fairly obvious you guys like each other."

Zack turned pink. "Last night."

Freddy's face brightened up at the prospect. "For real?" The other boy nodded. "That's awesome! Finally, man!" He held out his hand and Zack shook it. "About time, Zack Attack. About time."

"What about you and Summer?"

"What about me and Summer?"

"Don't play dumb. It's obvious you like each other."

Freddy looked around. Everyone was busy trying to leave the school so he just blurted out, "I may like her but she doesn't like me that."

This time, he saw his friend shake his head at him. "You might wanna make your move within the next week. Tink's going to be too busy this summer to even talk to us. You know how she is when she's on tour with us."

Zack was right. During their tours, she was always all business. The only time she got to talk to them was before they went on stage to perform. She's always occupied at the rate she talked to people in suits and check up on last minute details. She didn't even get to sit with them on the plane. She's always ahead of them, if not by an hour; then by a day or even two days. So if Freddy wanted to get together with her, he had to make it before they left next week or wait for the start of senior year.

"Yeah, I know. Okay. Call me after that thing tonight."

"Will do. Later."

They went on their separate ways, and Freddy continued on to his locker. He smiled when he saw the customary stationary that Calliope had left him at the bottom of his empty locker. They had cleaned out their locker the week before and girls never bothered to give him a note during finals week, so her letter was the only thing in his barren locker.

He closed the door and read it.

_June 13_

_Dear Freddy,_

_I'm sorry I have no verses for you this time, but you know I have trouble with those every now and then. School's over again. I hope you have a nice vacation, touring Europe. I know that back in eighth grade, I told you that school passes by fast. When we come back, it'll be our last year of high school. I bet you didn't believe me then but now you do, right?_

_I have to get this out. I know you've been searching for me, but you haven't exactly been active about it. A part of me wishes you'll find out who I am, but the other part is too scared if you ever find out who I am._

_I'm some one close to you,_

_Admiring from neither near nor far._

_I've known you forever._

_But I can't remember,_

_Exactly when this feeling started._

_Though I know I want it returned…_

_I hope you'll find me…before we graduate._

_Love,_

_Calliope_


End file.
